Thursday, April 26, 2018

TheList 4708

1860: The screw steamship Mohawk captures the slaver Wildfire with 530 slaves on board in the Bahama Channel, taking them to a camp in Key West guarded by Mohawks Marines until returned home.

1869—As a post-Civil War push for re-enlistments, the Good Conduct Medal, then called the Good Conduct Badge, is authorized by Secretary of the Navy Adolphus E. Borie.

1918—USS Stewart (DD 13) collides with an unidentified steamer near Brest, France. Just days earlier, Stewart crewmembers attacked a German submarine and saved the SS Florence H crew when she exploded internally.

1952—While steaming at night in formation 700 miles west of the Azores, USS Hobson (DD 464) and USS Wasp (CV 18) collide as Hobson crossed the carrier's bow from starboard to port and was struck amidships, breaking her in two. Hobson and 176 of her crew are lost, including her commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. W. J. Tierney.

1960—USS George Washington (SSN 598) conducts a Polaris missile test firing in Long Island Sound in the Atlantic Ocean.

In national news headlines today, media are reporting that a suspected California serial killer who committed at least 12 homicides and 45 rapes throughout the state in the 1970s and '80s was identified yesterday as a former police officer, and that VA secretary nominee White House physician Ronny L. Jackson has grown frustrated with the nomination process and has told colleagues he may remove his name from consideration. Speaking before the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee on Tuesday, CNO Adm. John Richardson said that major parts from the Zumwalt-class destroyer will be integrated into the plan to replace the Navy's guided missile cruisers reports USNI News. "Whether it be power generation, the role of stealth, the volume that the ship brings, the capability of the ship to bring down very sensitive communications, et cetera… That's exactly the types of lessons that I would look forward to rolling into the next ship," said Richardson. The Daily Press reports that a training exercise described as unprecedented is currently underway at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, involving U.S. pilots and crews from Carrier Air Wing 8 and 350 of their French counterparts from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. Additionally, Seapower Magazine reports that a recent markup of the National Defense Authorization Bill advocates a two-carrier buy and a study of another life extension of the USS Nimitz.

Second Lieutenant William Rhodes-Moorhouse becomes the first airman to win the Victoria Cross after conducting a successful bombing raid.

1929

The first non-stop flight from England to India is completed.

1931

New York Yankee Lou Gehrig hits a home run but is called out for passing a runner, the mistake ultimately costs him the home run record.

1937

The ancient Basque town of Guernica in northern Spain is bombed by German planes.

1941

The first organ is played at a baseball stadium in Chicago.

1968

Students seize the administration building at Ohio State University.

1983

The Dow Jones Industrial Average breaks 1,200 for first time.

1986

The world's worst nuclear disaster occurs at the Chernobyl power plant in the Soviet Union.

1994

Nelson Mandela wins the presidency in South Africa's first multiracial elections.

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Thanks to Robert

Donald Malarkey

Remember the series, "Band of Brothers" and the character 'Malarkey'? I just read that the real Donald Malarkey passed away last September 30, at the age of 96, in Salem, OR. He spent 172 days on the front lines, more than any other member of Easy Company.

Rob

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Thanks to Ed S bit of history

Remembered Sky: 1942, The Year of the Aircraft Carrier (8)

War, Remembrance, Honor – The Doolittle Raiders - 18 April, 1942

Spotted by a Japanese ship two days before they intended to launch 400-450 miles off the coast of Japan, Admiral Halsey, Hornet commanding officer Captain Marc Mitscher, and LtCol. Jimmy Doolittle determined the necessity to launch immediately – probably 600 plus miles out and meaning the raiders could most probably not reach the Chinese mainland.

The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid was the first air operation to strike the Japanese Home Islands including the Japanese capital Tokyo.

Limited results but great for needed morale, it was probably of most importance as leverage for America to finally go on the offensive, first stopping the Japanese move towards Australia in the Coral Sea, second going on the offense against Yamamoto's four carriers at Midway, and finally attacking and holding Guadalcanal.

The ever reoccurring defense intellectual enlightened comment - "the days of the aircraft carrier are over - it simply cannot survive in today's anti-access/area denial threat environment!"Correct me if I'm wrong but when have aircraft carriers ever not been the main target, always vulnerable? After the two carrier battles of Guadalcanal the U.S Navy had a significant period of time WITH ONLY ONE CV in play!

Seventy-five years ago -1943 – Nimitz, King, and particularly the air navy admirals worked a seemingly endless slate of problems to leverage the advantages the navy had hard earned in the last year. The F-4 Wildcat was replaced with new F-4U Corsairs (needing Mods before CV suitable) and F-6F Bearcats; replacing Dauntless scout bombers and torpedo bombers (Devastators and Avengers) proved problematic; roles and missions had to be adjusted, particularly for the ever increasing demands of observation and reconnaissance; new Essex class aircraft carriers were coming on line. The careful days of a single carrier in the Pacific after Guadalcanal were over, but how best to employ- individually or with two inside the screen? Experienced carrier operators supported both concepts.

In addition, the fight over who's in charge between Admiral Nimitz and General MacArthur was constant, but it had serious repercussions. MacArthur wanted Navy carriers to protect his right flank as he moved northward with Army Air Force fighters and bombers executing the main thrust from the air. But the Army approach would place the carriers in restricted island waters most vulnerable to Japanese land-based air, and second the Army Air Force and Navy differed drastically in the approach of air support for troops – a major concern for the Navy/Marine Corps combination of fast carriers and amphibious operations intended for the upcoming central Pacific thrust under Nimitz. Much was at stake and all of it allowed by the hard won battles and lessons of 1942.

Today the context is what to do with A-10's for Close Air Support (CAS), a new carrier with problems, an expensive over-due multi-role 5th generation F-35 with three service variants, and two very different types of war to consider – the insurgencies of Middle East and the more conventional potential conflicts with Russia and China. Conventional. yes, but threat technologies like S-400 SAMs and their versions of 5th generation create much concern. China is of particular interest for the Navy because of the islands and waterways associated with the South China Sea.

Indeed, any assessment of future air power must certainly take into account China's growing defense capability, objectives, and ongoing operations, so a reasonable starting point suggested is a review of that first year of WW II in the Pacific and the emergence of aircraft carrier warfare. On its 18 April, 1942 anniversary we start with the Doolittle Raid from USS Hornet in Part 2. Follow-on pieces will then provide a review of the four major carrier battles throughout 1942.

Ed 'Boris' Beakley

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Thanks to Mugs

If you are interested in aircraft, this is site to visit...

There are 118 air and space museums that you can pick from that are accessible through this link. Obviously it would probably take months to review all of them. Most of them are truly fascinating. There are many more that are not accessible through this link.

Absolutely mind boggling brilliant photos of museum aircraft throughout the USA and elsewhere.

Just click on any museum of interest, and see what's inside that museum.

RIPPLE SALVO… #781 (continued)… "THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PROTESTS OF 1968 WERE ONE AMONG THE VARIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS THAT OCCURRED AROUND THE COUNTRY IN THAT YEAR. The Columbia protests erupted over the spring of that year after students discovered links between the university and the institutional apparatus supporting the United States' involvement in the Vietnam war, as well as their concern over an allegedly segregated gymnasium to be constructed in the nearby Morningside Park. The protests resulted in the student occupation of many university buildings and the eventual violent removal of protesters by the New York City Police Department." (Wikipedia)… but first…

Good Morning: Day SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE of a return to the 1960's and 1968, which in the words of one author was, "The Year the Dream Died."…

Item Number:1 Date: 04/26/2018 ANGOLA - ARMY, INTEL CHIEFS FIRED OVER CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS (APR 26/ALJAZ) AL JAZEERA -- President Joao Lourenco has removed from their posts the Angolan army chief and the head of the foreign intelligence agency, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). Investigators looking into a fraudulent scheme to negotiate a US$50 billion international line of credit last month named Gen. Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda as a suspect. Andre de Oliveira Sango, the intelligence agency chief, has been accused of illegally diverting funds to a British bank. The dismissals are part of a wider purge of officials remaining from the administration of former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Dos Santos has long been accused of cronyism during his 38 years as president. Lourenco replaced him in January. The purges are part of efforts by Lourenco to assert his authority over the security sector in Angola, said analysts cited by Africa News.

Item Number:2 Date: 04/26/2018 CHINA - 'GUAM KILLER' INDUCTED INTO SERVICE WITH ROCKET FORCE (APR 26/GDP) GUAM DAILY POST -- China has inducted the advanced DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile into its rocket force, reports the Guam Daily Post. A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman confirmed the official induction in a press conference on Thursday. The newest brigade consists of 22 missiles carried on 12-axle transporter-erector-launcher vehicles, according to the PLA Daily. The nuclear-capable missile has an estimated range of 2,500 miles (4,000 km), putting the U.S. territory of Guam within its range. As a result, some in the Chinese media have dubbed the missile the "Guam Killer," noted Reuters. China remains committed to a defensive posture, said the spokesman.

Item Number:3 Date: 04/26/2018 GERMANY - AIRBUS, DASSAULT JOIN FOR FUTURE COMBAT AIR SYSTEM PROJECT (APR 26/DASS) DASSAULT AVIATION -- Dassault Aviation has agreed to work with Airbus on the development and production of Europe's next fighter jet, reports the French aviation firm. The partnership was finalized in Berlin on Wednesday. The Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a joint venture of Germany and France, is seen as an important move to protect European fighter production capability. It is seen as a successor to the Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale fighters now in service. Plans call for producing a flying prototype by 2025, with production beginning in the 2035 to 2040 timeframe. The partners have called on Berlin and Paris to "launch an initial joint study this year" to be able to meet program goals, noted Flight Global. The replacement is seen as a system of systems, including a new fighter, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, advanced cruise missiles, swarming UAVs and communication and satellite systems. The lengthy FCAS timeline will likely compel Germany to procure an interim fighter to replace its aging Tornados. Berlin has reportedly considered additional Typhoons and the U.S. F-35 for the requirement

Item Number:4 Date: 04/26/2018 INDIA - PRO-KASHMIR POLITICIAN KILLED IN APPARENT TERRORIST ATTACK (APR 26/HT) HINDUSTAN TIMES -- Unidentified gunmen have shot and killed a politician and injured his security guards in India-administered Kashmir, reports the Hindustan Times. On Wednesday, gunmen opened fire on Ghulam Nabi Patel's vehicle as he was traveling in Kashmir's Pulwama district. Two security guards were injured in the attack. Patel had been associated with a number of political parties, including the Kashmiri Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) and the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Police blamed the attack on a faction of Hizbul Mujahideen led by commander Sameer Tiger, reported News 18 (India). Patel's son said his father came to the village to campaign for the pro-Kashmir PDP

Item Number:5 Date: 04/26/2018 NIGERIA - LAWMAKERS THREATEN IMPEACHMENT OVER PAYMENT FOR SUPER TUCANO ATTACK AIRCRAFT (APR 26/VANGUARD) VANGUARD -- Lawmakers in Nigeria have threatened to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari over payments made to the U.S. for light attack aircraft without parliamentary approval, reports the Vanguard (Lagos). In a letter to Parliament on Tuesday, Buhari said that the deadline that accompanied U.S. approval was too short to accommodate parliamentary debate. The president said he approved the withdrawal from the government's Excess Crude Account, because he did not believe the National Assembly would object, reported the Premium Times (Abuja). The National Economic Council approved such expenditures in December 2017, Buhari said in the letter. The president asked that the US$496 million for 12 A-29 Super Tucano ground attack aircraft be included as part of the 2018 appropriation bill. Several lawmakers criticized the payment without their prior approval, which they believe violated the constitution. One lawmaker from Nigeria's Rivers state said the president's decision was "an impeachable offense." The aircraft, which will support Nigerian government counterterrorism operations, are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2020. Members of the Nigerian Senate had similar concerns regarding the purchase of helicopters from the U.S. Sen. Sam Anyanwu said on Tuesday that US$462 million was withdrawn from state coffers in March without the necessary approval, reported Defence Web (South Africa). The Senate will interview the central bank governor and the ministers of finance and defense to find out why and how the payment was made, said Anyanwu

Item Number:6 Date: 04/26/2018 PAKISTAN - 2 CIVILIANS KILLED IN SHELLING ALONG LINE OF CONTROL IN KASHMIR (APR 26/IANS) INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE -- Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged fire across the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region, reports the Indo-Asian News Service. Indian sources claim that Pakistani forces began shelling and firing on Indian positions in Rajouri district on Thursday morning. Indian troops responded with gunfire, the sources said. Defense sources on the Indian side said there were no casualties. Pakistani sources claim Indian troops launched unprovoked shelling on the Chamb sector in the south of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, about 10 miles (16 km) from the border, reported the Pakistan Observer. Two civilians were killed and two more injured. There has been an increase in cease-fire violations along the line of control this year, in which 30 people have been killed, noted the Press Trust of India.

Item Number:7 Date: 04/26/2018 PAKISTAN - 6 POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN SERIES OF SUICIDE ATTACKS IN QUETTA (APR 26/DAWN) DAWN -- Six Pakistani police officers have been killed and 15 injured in three suicide attacks in the southwestern city of Quetta, reports Dawn (Pakistan). On Tuesday, two suicide bombers approached a Frontier Corps checkpoint on the outskirts of the city. One detonated his device after he was spotted by guards. The second bomber blew himself up shortly afterwards. Eight paramilitary troops were injured in that attack. Half an hour later, a suicide bomber approached a checkpoint near the city's airport. He crashed his motorbike into a police truck. The ensuing explosion killed six officers and injured seven. It was unclear whether the third bomber wore a suicide vest or if the vehicle had been filled with explosives, said the city's police chief. The attacks may have been coordinated, he said. The Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement through its Amaq media wing, reported CNN

Item Number:8 Date: 04/26/2018 RUSSIA - MINISTRY OF DEFENSE CLAIMS TO HAVE OBTAINED U.S. TOMAHAWK MISSILE FROM SYRIA STRIKES (APR 26/CNBC) CNBC -- Russia says it has acquired a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile and will study its workings to improve its own missiles, reports CNBC. On Wednesday, the Defense Ministry said it had an unexploded Tomahawk cruise missile and a high accuracy air-launched missile leftover from recent airstrikes in Syria. On April 14, French, U.K. and U.S. jets attacked three chemical weapons facilities near the Syrian cities of Homs and Damascus. Russian military scientists have begun examining the missiles, said the chief of the Russian General Staff's main operations directorate. Any information gleaned from their research will be used to improve Russian weapons systems. Pentagon officials dismissed the claims, calling them a "distraction." No proof was provided to back up the assertions, the officials said.

Item Number:9 Date: 04/26/2018 SOUTH KOREA - TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DECIDES TO SEND AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRALIA TO SEOUL INSTEAD (APR 26/KT) KOREA TIMES -- The outgoing head of U.S. Pacific Command, who was formally nominated to be the next ambassador to Australia, may be sent to South Korea instead, reports the Korea Times. Adm. Harry Harris was nominated as the ambassador to Australia in February and Canberra approved the choice, noted the JoongAng Daily (South Korea). After speaking to U.S. Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Wednesday that "while we would have welcomed Adm. Harris here as the ambassador to Australia, we understand that there are significant challenges for the United States on the Korean Peninsula." Harris was in Washington this week for a Senate confirmation hearing for the Australia post, reported the New York Times. The administration hopes to have Harris in Seoul by May or June after hearings that could come in the next few weeks. The U.S. has not had an ambassador in Seoul since the beginning of the Trump administration. Mike Pompeo, who was approved as secretary of state by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday, recommended Harris for the post after he was urged to fill the position during his nomination hearing. Pompeo must still be approved by the full Senate

Item Number:10 Date: 04/26/2018 SYRIA - RUSSIAN ELECTRONIC ATTACKS IN SYRIA PROVING A CHALLENGE TO U.S. ELECTRONIC SUPPORT AIRCRAFT (APR 26/BREAKDEF) BREAKING DEFENSE -- U.S. forces in Syria "are operating in the most aggressive EW [electronic warfare] environment on the planet," according to senior U.S. officials cited by Breaking Defense. U.S. adversaries are "testing us every day, knocking our communications down, disabling our EC-130s, et cetera," Gen. Raymond Thomas, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command, said on Tuesday at an intelligence conference in Tampa, Fla. Few details of the attacks were provided. Russia is known to have effective electronic warfare capabilities and its forces are present in Syria. Moscow has also been providing equipment to Syrian forces. The Russians may not have directly targeted the EC-130s, said one expert. They may have chosen an easier path, attacking position, navigation and timing (PNT) or communications gear, forcing the crew to rely on maps, line of sight and other techniques. The U.S. has spent so much time fighting unsophisticated opponents over the last two decades that its forces may not be as proficient at tactical electronic warfare as they need to be, analysts said

Item Number:11 Date: 04/26/2018 THAILAND - ANTI-SUBMARINE DRILLS UNDERWAY WITH U.S. (APR 26/NNS) NAVY NEWSSTAND -- The Royal Thai Navy has begun a bilateral anti-submarine warfare exercise with the U.S. Navy in the Andaman Sea, reports the Navy NewsStand. The five-day Guardian Sea drills began on April 25 and cover maritime domain awareness and anti-submarine warfare. The navies will conduct subject matter expert exchanges in every aspect of anti-submarine warfare, with a focus on tracking subs in a variety of conditions, the Navy said. U.S. assets participating in the exercise include the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Halsey, as well as an unspecified Los Angeles-class submarine and a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Participants from the Thai navy include the helicopter carrier Chakri Naruebet, corvette Long Lom, Naresuan-class frigates Taksin and Naresuan and S-70B Seahawk helicopters. The exercise is one of several that the U.S. and Thai militaries participate in annually including the multilateral Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) and Cobra Gold

Item Number:12 Date: 04/26/2018 TURKEY - 2 SOLDIERS DIE IN SEPARATE PKK ATTACKS IN SOUTHEAST (APR 26/ANADOLU) ANADOLU NEWS AGENCY -- Two Turkish soldiers have been killed in attacks blamed on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the Diyarbakir and Sirnak provinces in the southeast, reports the state-run Anadolu Agency. One Turkish soldier was killed by an improvised explosive device on Tuesday during a counterterrorism operation in the central Soru Tepe area of Sirnak province, which shares a border with Iraq and Syria. On Wednesday, a Turkish soldier died during clashes with PKK militants in the Lice district of the Diyarbakir province. Four other troops were injured in that fighting. The anti-Kurdish campaign, which the government describes as a counterterrorism operation, has resulted in 42 militants being "neutralized" -- i.e. killed, captured or surrendered to authorities -- over the past week, noted the Hurriyet Daily News (Istanbul). An additional 131 individuals were detained for allegedly providing support to the PKK. Another 47 were held for suspected links to ISIS

Item Number:13 Date: 04/26/2018 TURKEY - OPPOSITION JOURNALISTS CONVICTED OF HELPING TERROR ORGANIZATIONS (APR 26/HUR) HURRIYET -- A Turkish court has issued jail sentences to 13 journalists and employees of an opposition newspaper for assisting terrorist organizations, reports the Hurriyet Daily News (Istanbul). The sentences issued Wednesday include punishments of up to eight years for staff members of the Cumhuriyet newspaper. Three journalists were acquitted. One defendant in the case, who was not employed by Cumhuriyet, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for activities on Twitter, reported Reuters. Those convicted will remain free while their cases are appealed, noted the New York Times. Prosecutors alleged that writers and other staff members of Cumhuriyet used their coverage to provide support to a number of terrorist groups, including the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front, and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO). FETO, an alleged offshoot of the Hizmet religious movement headed by exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, has been blamed for a 2016 coup attempt. Prosecutors primarily relied on information gleaned from social media, along with alleged use of a messaging application favored by FETO members, reported the Daily Sabah (Turkey). Among those convicted was Ahmet Sik, a critic of the movement who published in 2011 a book detailing their influence on Turkish institutions. Cumhuriyet will continue its commitment to journalism regardless of the verdict, editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu said after being sentenced. Turkish authorities carried out a wave of arrests after the attempted coup, targeting teachers, journalists and other professions. Twelve of the defendants were arrested on Oct. 31, 2016. About 150 media outlets have been shuttered and 160 journalists jailed under Erdogan's watch. Another 50,000 people are imprisoned and awaiting trial on coup-related charges, reported Amnesty International. Critics say the sentences are intended to stifle criticism and shore up support before the snap elections in June

Item Number:14 Date: 04/26/2018 USA - AIR FORCE SET TO RETROFIT 3 TANKERS TO REPLACE AGING 'NUKE SNIFFERS' (APR 26/AFT) AIR FORCE TIMES -- The U.S. Air Force will begin the first of three conversions of KC-135R aerial refueling aircraft into WC-135 Constant Phoenix "nuclear sniffers" in the third quarter of next year, reports the Air Force Times. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that "the current airplanes are old, they're wearing out." The two existing WC-135s were built in the 1960s. The aircraft are outfitted with highly classified equipment that is designed to monitor the atmosphere for evidence of nuclear explosions. The Air Force requested $208 million for fiscal 2019 and $8 million for fiscal 2020 for the conversions. The retrofits are expected to take 18-24 months. Work will be performed by L3 Technologies at its facility in Greenville, Texas. The WC-135s are stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and are assigned to U.S. Strategic Command

Item Number:15 Date: 04/26/2018 USA - NAVY AIMS TO RAMP UP CONSTRUCTION OF ATTACK SUBS (APR 26/DAY) THE DAY -- The U.S. Navy is seeking to boost and reducing manufacturing timelines for nuclear-powered attack submarines, reports the Day (Conn.). The attack submarine fleet is expected to fall from 52 to 42 boats by 2028. The Navy has a requirement for 66 boats, but is not expected to reach that goal until 2048. The Navy has reduced the construction period for Virginia-class attack submarines from 84 months to 74 months, with a goal of 66 months. The service also wants to build three Virginia-class subs per year instead of two in 2022 and 2023. To help address the expected shortfall, the Navy has proposed extending the service life of five Los Angeles-class attack boats for up to 10 years. Shipbuilders have been making plans to increase production, including preparing suppliers for new requirements and hiring additional personnel. Congress has appropriated tens of millions of dollars to help suppliers prepare for the ramp up, officials said

Item Number:16 Date: 04/26/2018 USA - REPORT ON DEADLY NIGER AMBUSH BLAMES RISKY BEHAVIOR, LACK OF CHAIN OF COMMAND (APR 26/WSJ) WALL STREET JOURNAL -- A classified Pentagon report on the October 2017 ambush in Niger that killed four U.S. soldiers blames poor training and risky behavior, reports the Wall Street Journal. A disrespect for procedures, including chain of command, led to the raid's deadly outcome, anonymous officials said in the April 25 article. The phenomenon was particularly notable among low-level commanders, one of whom copied and pasted orders from a different mission in his request for approval. Such commanders "took liberties to get operations approved" in their eagerness to go after local militants. The report is unlikely to recommend punishment for anyone, said officials. The report includes several directives from Defense Secretary James Mattis that emphasize proper training, operational discipline and the chain of command across the military. Special Operations Command, U.S. Africa Command and the Army were also given 10 "primary directives" and four months to demonstrate compliance, said officials. Since the ambush, some troops advising local forces in Africa have been moved from the front lines.

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